Circulating water heater

ABSTRACT

A water heating system has a hot water flow to a radiator branch and a domestic water heating branch. The return lines from these two branches flow to the main return line through a motor operated valve which comprises two coaxial valve seats, and a valve closure for each valve seat. The motor is connected to the closures through a common valve rod. The two closures are between the two valve seats. The main return line connects to the body between the two seats. The branch return lines each connect on the opposite side of a respective valve seat.

Frithjoi [54] CIRCULATING WATER ATER' [72] Inventor: Carouge Frithiof,Solingen, Gery [73] Assignee: Joh. Vaillant KG., Remscheid, Germany [22]Filed: Jan. 11, 1971 21 Appl. No; 105,285

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 28, 1970 Austria ...A 798/70[52] US. Cl. ..237/19, 165/35 [51] Int. Cl ..F24d 3/08 [58] Field ofSearch ..l65/35, 101; 237/19 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS3,426,971 2/1969 Meler ..'.....237/l9 Primary Examiner-Charles SukaloAttorney-Darbo, Robertson & Vandenburgh ABSTRACT I A water heatingsystem hasa hot water flow to a radiator branch and a domestic waterheating branch.

The return lines'from these two branches flow to the main return linethrough a motor operated valve which comprises two coaxial valve seats,and a valve closure for each valve seat. The motor is connected to theclosures through a common valve. rod. The two closures are between thetwo -valve seats. The main return line connects to the body between thetwo 7 seats. The branch return lines each connect on the opposite sideof a respective valve seat.

4 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure A prior application on which I am aco-inventor, Ser. No. 62,054, filed Aug. 7, 1970, relates to acirculating water heater comprising a water heater, a radiator branch, abranch including a heat exchanger for domestic water, a circulatingpump, and a change-over valve by which the water circulation can bechanged over from the radiator branch to the heat exchanger branchshort-circuiting the radiator branch. In other prior art circulatingwater heaters the motor operated change-over valve is arranged in thesupply flow. However, to avoid the disturbing noise encountered in suchheaters at the beginning of domestic water tapping during the closingmovement of the valve in a direction of water flow, it has been proposedaccording to said prior application, that the change-over valve bearranged in the return flow so that the heating circuit and theshortcircuit connection are each adapted to be shut off by a closingmovement acting against the direction of flow.-

In the motor operated valves arranged in the supply.

flow, as previously mentioned, a distributor piece is provided betweenthe radiator supply line and the radiator return flow (VaillantInstallation and Operating Instructions 1069 A) into the first chamberof which the heating water is supplied from the changeover valve, andis" passed on as supply flow heating water from this chamber to theradiators. The heating return flow opens into a second chamber of thedistributor piece succeeding the first chamber and separated from thelatter by an adjustable short-circuit valve, while the return flow waterof the domestic water heater flows into the same chambenand from thisdistributor piece there exists a common return flow pipe to the heater.To one side of the previously used change-over valve the supply flow ofthe heater is connected. On the opposite side of the change-over valvethe branch of the supply flow pipe supplying the domestic water heatexchanger is provided, while between the two aforesaid connections athird branchrepresenting the heating supply flow is in communicationwith the first chamber of the aforesaid distributor piece. On the otherside of the change-over valve opposite the distributor piece, the motorcontrolling the changeover is mounted.

It is an object of this invention, using the arrangement according tosaid prior application to provide a motor operated three-way valve withdistributor piece which may be constructed more simply, manageably andinexpensively.

The solution of this object is achieved by employing a distributor piece(incorporated in well-known manner between the heater supply flow andthe heater 2 DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The drawing is a schematicillustration of an embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT The following disclosure is offeredfor public dissemination in return for the grant of a patent. Althoughit is detailed to ensure adequacy and aid understanding, this is notintended to prejudice that purpose of a patent which is to cover eachnew inventive concept therein no matter how others may later disguise itby variations in form or additions or further improvements. The claimsat the end hereof are intended as the chief aid toward this purpose, asit is these that meet the requirement of pointing out the parts,improvements, or combinations in which the inventive concepts are found.

The heating water from a circulating heater flows from a supply line tothe radiator circuit or branch of a room heating system and a domesticwater heat exchanger. A distributor 3 is arranged between the supplyline 1 and the return to the heater as represented by passageway 2. Inthe space heating mode of operation, the hot supply water passes throughthe first chamber 4 of the body of the distributor 3 and the supplyconnection 5 thereof leading to the radiators (not illustrated). Fromthe radiators this water returns through the return connection 6 and asecond chamber 7 of the body of the distributor 3. When valve closure ofvalve 15 is ofi' its respective valve seat (which it is next to in thedrawing), the return water from chamber 7 flows into chamber 16 andthence to passageway 2.

When domestic water is to be heated by the heat exchanger ll il, ill,12, the hot supply water from line 1 flows into the space 10 between theouter shell 11 and the inner shell 12. Inner shell 12 holds the domesticwater to be heated. After heating the heat exchanger, the heating waterreturns to the circulating heater through chamber 117, chamber 16 andpassageway 2. This is permitted by the change-over valve rod 9 assumingthe indicated position at which the valve 13 is open by the respectiveclosure being off its seat. The thermostat 114 controls the motor 8 ofthe change-over valve 9 so that when the domestic water in shell 12 issufficiently hot the valve rod 9 is returned to the position at whichvalve 13 is closed and valve lSis opened. When the temperature of thewater in shell 12 is too cool, the thermostat 14 calls for heat anddirects motor 8 to position the changeover valve stem 9 in the positionillustrated. Motor 9 is mounted on the exterior face of the body ofdistributor 3. From the common chamber 16 of the distributor the tworeturn flows, which enter chamber 16 through the preceding chamber 7 andthe preceding chamber 17, respectively, is passed to the heater throughthe return passageway 2 and the circulating pump (not illustrated).

' The chambers 4 and 7 are separated from each other by an adjustableshort-circuit valve 18 in well-known manner. This valve is used toestablish a communication between the supply flow and the return How ofthe heating circuit, in case the amount of hot water necessary for theoperation of the heater cannot flow through because the resistance ofthe radiator circuit is too great.

The domestic water heater 12 communicates with the house water supplypipe 19 and has the same pressure. The hot domestic water is drawn fromthe domestic water heater 12 through the pipe 20.

Iclaim:

1. In a circulating water heater apparatus comprising a feed water line,a return water line, a radiator branch including a radiator, a flowconnection thereto and a return connection therefrom, a domestic waterheat exchanger including a flow connection and a return connection,change-over valve means arranged in the return connections so that theflow from the connections to the return line will be shut off by aclosing movement acting against the direction of flow, and a motordevice for operating the valve means the improvement in said valve meanscomprising:

a distributor body including said return connections and a passagewayfor said return line, said body defining two coaxial valve seats, one ofwhich is between the radiator branch return connection and thepassageway and the other of which is between the passageway and the heatexchanger return connection, a valve rod extending between the valveseats, two valve closure members affixed to the rod with each beingassociated with a respective seat, said motor device being operativelyconnected to said rod.

. 2. In 'an apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said passagewayis between the two valve seats.

3. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said motor device ismounted on the exterior face of the body.

4. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said motor device ismounted on the exterior face of the body.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE QERTEFICATE @F @QRRECTWN Patent No. 3 685,733 Dated August 22 1972 Inventor(s) hjOf Carouge It is certified thaterror appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

The name of the Inventor, shown as "Carouge Frithjof", should beFrithjof Carouge-.

Signed and sealed this 30th day of January 1973.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents USCOMM-DC BO376-P69 a US. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1 I9690*365-334 FORM PO-105O (10-69)

1. In a circulating water heater apparatus comprising a feed water line,a return water line, a radiator branch including a radiator, a flowconnection thereto and a return connection therefrom, a domestic waterheat exchanger including a flow connection and a return connection,change-over valve means arranged in the return connections so that theflow from the connections to the return line will be shut off by aclosing movement actIng against the direction of flow, and a motordevice for operating the valve means the improvement in said valve meanscomprising: a distributor body including said return connections and apassageway for said return line, said body defining two coaxial valveseats, one of which is between the radiator branch return connection andthe passageway and the other of which is between the passageway and theheat exchanger return connection, a valve rod extending between thevalve seats, two valve closure members affixed to the rod with eachbeing associated with a respective seat, said motor device beingoperatively connected to said rod.
 2. In an apparatus as set forth inclaim 1, wherein said passageway is between the two valve seats.
 3. Inan apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said motor device ismounted on the exterior face of the body.
 4. In an apparatus as setforth in claim 1, wherein said motor device is mounted on the exteriorface of the body.